Divisions of Self
by Barefoot XO
Summary: Janus is a Roman God representing division of self, according to Giles. What if he was so much more, an ascended Tok'ra who desperately wants to help his people? How would that affect Halloween? Especially considering a special costume Ethan has ready...
1. Prologue: The Tale of Janus

_**Prologue: The Tale of Janus**_

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I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM, I think... The prologue is based, in style, on the narrative of Galadriel in the movie 'Fellowship of the Ring'. I do not own that either. It belongs to John Tolkien and Peter Jackson in some form or other. Please note that despite my use of the FotR narrative as a base for prologue, this will not be a LotR cross of any sort.

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"The galaxy has changed: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I see it written in the stars... Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.

"It began with the rise of four great races. First among them were the Ancients, powerful and crafty, the builders of the Stargates. Second were the Asgard, great cloners and masters of many advanced weapons. And Third... third among them were the Nox who, above all else, desire peace. Fourth and last were the Furlings, the great nomads of the galaxy. But they were all of them doomed... for in each race was built the seeds of destruction. The Ancients, dying out from a plague of their own making, ascended to another level of existence. The Asgard, dying out from cloning themselves for so long, still desperately try to preserve their race, even as they are being overrun by the Replicators. The Nox, caught up in their pacifism, have retreated to a single world and become largely irrelevant in the scheme of the galaxy. And finally the Furlings simply moved on from the area, seeking greener pastures.

"On the planet Taura Atlantus, in the deserts of Ancient Egypt, the System Lord Ra discovered a new type of host to control... and upon this race he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One by one the free planets of the galaxy fell to the power of the Goa'uld, empowered by their new hosts.

"But there were some who resisted. A secret alliance of the children of Egeria, one of Ra's consorts, formed to fight the Goa'uld from within. And so the Tok'ra were born. On the planet Kheb was where the first true battle was fought. The Tok'ra who led the uprising of Kheb against Ra was a legend nearly matching Queen Egeria. This Tok'ra's name was Janus. Ra had been taken off guard by the young hothead of the Tok'ra. Victory was near! But the power of Ra could not be undone quite so easily. It was in this moment when all hope had faded, that Ra, so-called God of the Sun, created a martyr that the Tok'ra would not soon forget. Janus, the enemy of Ra, was slain. The words Janus spoke that day passed down through secret Jaffa legend and would later be on the lips of all Jaffa who were slain fighting against the false gods. 'I die free…'

"But the eyes of mortals are easily deceived. And the power of Kheb was greater the any might have guessed. There was little I could do to prevent Janus' death, and what little I could do, I would not. Janus was a unique case in that he was not an Ancient, nor did I help him ascend. He is perhaps the only being outside of the Ancients and the Ori who has ever managed to ascend to our level.

"A rebellion sprang up on Taura Atlantus, possibly in response to Janus' noble stand, passed on among the underground, or possibly due to a similar desire for freedom there. Luckily for those people, they proved to be successful and even buried their gate… and some things that should not have been forgotten... were lost. History became legend... legend became myth. And for a very long time, the gate and the Goa'uld passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new keeper! The gate came to Catherine Langford, who eventually took it deep under Cheyenne Mountain. And there, it was opened. The gate was finally cracked by an archaeologist named Daniel Jackson. And in the deserts of Abydos, with a colossal amount of luck, Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill managed to kill Ra, forever changing the landscape of the galaxy.

"With Ra dead, division crept back into the midst of the System Lords, allowing the Tok'ra to make new headway at last. Rumour grew of the death of the greatest of the gods... whispers of a nameless doubt in the servants of the gods. And Janus, clever bastard that he is, perceived that his time had come again. He planned to abandon his ascended form, but needed a host to inhabit. And something happened then that Janus did not intend... He was called upon by a minor practitioner of the arcane arts to empower a spell... A chaos spell... Ethan Rayne's spell was so frivolous that Janus was nearly insulted until he noted one boy whose costume included a Goa'uld hand device. It was fate, Janus decided. Exercising a little known loophole that allows one to use their ascended powers to aid those who call them, Janus empowered the ritual and used it to retake corporeal form within a human host. For the time will soon come when Janus and his new host will shape the fortunes of all..."

~ Oma Desala

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Hope you like

Jasper


	2. Setting the Stage

_**Setting the Stage**_

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I still don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate. They are still owned by Joss Whedon and MGM... at least I think so...

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_Ethan's Costume Emporium_  
_October 30th 1997_

Xander Harris was just entering Ethan's Costume Emporium when the bells and whistles struck, momentarily freezing the young hunter in shock as he wondered how he could have set off the store's alarms while entering the store. His momentary shock almost caused him to miss a smarmy-looking fellow sidling up to him.

The grinning man offered his hand enthusiastically as he congratulated Xander. "Congratulations, my boy. You are my 100th customer, here at Ethan's…"

Xander shrugged, a little taken aback by the Brit's effusive manner. "Ummmm… That's great, I guess…"

Ethan nodded agreeably. "Indeed it is, my boy. Indeed it is. As my 100th customer, I am here to offer you a very special costume, absolutely free. The design is that of an Ancient Egyptian God of some description."

The Brit motioned to an elaborate caped getup which predominately featured gold with certain shades of deep green accenting it. The thing that drew Xander's attention, though, was the curious glove-like device of gold colouring, with a large green jewel centred on its palm. "Does that glove thing have to come with it? 'Cause frankly pal, it looks kind of girly…"

The man's smile remained frozen on his face. "I assure you, young man, that this is a god's mode of dress. The hand device was a symbol of great wealth and rank among the gods…"

Xander thought for a long moment. Originally it had been his intention to just get a toy gun and go as a soldier, using the fatigues he had bought at the Salvation Army. This was far more elaborate and was actually cheaper. For a financially strapped young man like Xander, it was no contest. "Alright pal, you sold me." Xander was so pleased with the deal he had gotten that he didn't even consider the rather wicked grin that the Brit gave him…

* * *

_The Astral Plane_  
_October 30th 1997_

Janus watched and waited, as he had been doing for a very long time. Since his death and subsequent ascension Janus had been plotting quietly, awaiting a day when the System Lords might display some form of weakness. Finally, just two years ago, Ra had been killed in a surprise attack by the Tau'ri. No one had expected it and fewer had truly prepared for it. With the death of Ra, the way was paved for some of his foremost rivals to seize control of his territories. The problem was that most of his rivals were evenly matched. Of Apophis, Cronus, Heru'ur and Sokar, none of them held an overwhelming advantage in battle. And still others like Yu, Nirrti, Baal and Amateratsu were equally unwilling to allow their rivals such an advantage.

The coming civil war was a golden opportunity that Janus could not help but wish to use to the advantage of himself and the Tok'ra. The only problem Janus had was how to go about returning. He was a Tok'ra and his host had not ascended with him. If Janus was to take mortal form again, he might die before gaining a new host. It was a most infuriating dilemma. Luckily for Janus, the Ori had solved it long ago for him.

It is a rule that has long existed among the ascended, that all ascended beings may use their powers at the bequest of their worshipers. Normally only the Ori would be able to take advantage of this particular loophole, but then most other ascended did not have worshipers. While Janus, as an ascended of the Milky Way galaxy, was not allowed to cultivate new worshipers, he was also not required to prevent people who worshiped him from attempting to do so. Janus smiled. That pawn, Ethan Rayne, was about to offer Janus a most useful opportunity.

The costume offered by Rayne to young Xander Harris made things all the more delicious. The Powers that Be, a rather arrogant sect of Ancients who blatantly flouted the proper rules of the ascended, had made a prophecy that the slayer would die at the hands of Heinrich Nest, a particularly detestable master vampire. Xander had thwarted their prophecy, permanently establishing himself as an agent of chaos. Despite what that fool Rayne believed, Janus did not represent chaos. He represented portals, doorways and bridges. Basically, when you added it all together, he represented divisions. Including, divisions of self, which was the essence of what the Tok'ra aspired to be. Still, agents of chaos were well-loved by all who wanted to change a grim future. You see, agents of chaos are beings whose chosen path in life is their own. They have no set future. Beings like the Powers, who represented balance between good and evil, hated the agents of chaos because they had the power to screw up their precious balance. For Janus, on the other hand, Xander represented the opportunity to change the fate of the galaxy.

"You realise, of course, that you intend to break your most sacred beliefs by blending with an unwilling host…"

Janus turned from his observation of Ethan's work to lock eyes with the lady of light. "Hello Oma… Come to rain on my parade?"

The woman's face turned slightly stormy. "You betray your own most sacred principles and dare to take it so lightly? I should strip you of your powers and throw your body in the nearest lake, Janus."

Rolling his eyes expressively, Janus snorted. "Right, Oma. You know damn well that you can't do that while I stay within the rules. I have a duty to my people, and I will go through with it."

"Even at the cost of that boy's life? You, of all people, know better then to interfere with a being's free will."

Janus turned back to Oma, a sneer on his lips. "Is that what you think of me, Oma? You believe I am no different from a Goa'uld, taking that which is not mine to take? Well, you are welcome to think what you will. I will blend with the boy forcibly, only because it is the only way for me to return to mortal form with any semblance of control. Once the blending is begun, I will offer the boy a choice, and it will be a better choice then most receive. My people need me, Oma. And, ironically enough, his people need him too. Together with that boy, I intend to give Ethan just what he wants. Ethan Rayne wants chaos and the universe will shake with chaos when the boy and I are done with it…"

"You presume too much Janus. The boy despises the very nature or what the Tok'ra are. He will force you to choose between your morals and your life…"

"The boy despises the very nature of the Goa'uld, Oma. He will make the right choice…"

"So you believe, old friend. I can only hope you are right. Because the others will not allow you to rise again if you should die. Your plans, while within the rules, are a gross misuse of the very rules they obey."

"The Ori have misused the rules since they came into existence, Oma. Perhaps it is time for someone with good intentions to misuse them for the good of the galaxy."

"Ever the crusader, Janus. I only wish that you would see the advantage in hanging up your sword. You could do so much more good here."

"You're a fool, Oma. Power for its own sake is wasted. Power used to benefit others… that is true greatness. If I must sacrifice the vast bulk of my personal power so that I may do the right thing, then I shall… and damn the consequences…"

I wish you well, dear Janus. I also wish you would give this up."

"You know full well that I have come too far to stop now…"

* * *

_Ethan's Costume Emporium_  
_October 31st 1997_

"The world that denies thee, thou inhabit. The peace that ignores thee, thou corrupt. Chaos. I remain, as ever, thy faithful, degenerate son. Show time…" Ethan rubbed his hands together in maniacal glee, not noticing the anticipatory gleam in the eyes of his statue.

* * *

As Ethan said it… Show time…

_Jasper_


	3. Three of a Kind Beats a Pair

_**Chapter II: Three of a Kind Beats a Pair**_

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I still don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM...

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_Sunnydale Streets_  
_October 31st 1997_

Xander was just joining his little charges in muttering curses on the thrice-cursed woman who gave his kids toothbrushes on Halloween (had the woman no shame?) when a momentary dizziness gave way to an excruciating pain in the back of his neck, as if something were growing inside his very body. Xander fell to his knees, positively howling before blacking out briefly.

It is perhaps lucky for Xander that the particular children he was near had dressed as wild beasts that are easily startled, and so he was not immediately set upon by ravenous monsters. By the time one of his former trick-or-treaters had gotten up the courage to move in for a bite to eat, Janus had fully formed and briefly seized control, using the Goa'uld hand device to banish the little beast across the street. This was enough to cause the others to scatter in terror.

Janus, recognising his opportunity, continued to keep control away from Xander and rushed into a nearby house so that he and his new and reluctant host might have a little chat in privacy.

* * *

_Xander's Mindscape_  
_October 31st 1997_

Janus entered the mindscape, wearing the clothing of the Halloween costume, hand device crackling with energy. What he found shocked even him. He had expected two Xanders in the mindscape, including himself. Xander-as-Janus and the Xander that had grown up with this body. Both were indeed there, but so was another. While the original Xander wore an eye-hurting Hawaiian shirt and baggy pants, the other wore a leather jacket, tight jeans and a superior smirk that sent shivers down his spine. The other Xander reminded him of a Goa'uld. "Who are you?" he whispered.

The original, who was glaring balefully at Janus replied in a clipped tone. "I'm Xander. This is my body. Now who the hell are you? I have enough of this crap going on with him," at this point Xander positively growled as he glanced at the third party, "Making house-space in my head. I can't say I'm appreciative…"

Before Janus could reply, however, the third spoke. "The boy calls me Shenzi. I must say that he watches far too much television to be healthy. Honestly, you couldn't have called me something better?"

"I'd prefer to call you evicted…"

"What do you know? The feeling's mutual!"

"Go kiss a vamp!"

"You first!"

Janus simply watched as insults and terrible puns quickly devolved into a fist fight. This was how Xander Harris' mind worked on a day to day basis? It was a wonder the poor boy had retained any semblance of sanity. Finally, unable to take it any further, Janus loosed a high-pitched whistle, causing the fight to grind to a complete halt. "That's better. I had planned to speak to Xander, but it seems things are much more complicated in this mind then I had originally suspected. And so I will talk to both of you. I am Janus of Kheb… of the Tok'ra."

The two others glanced at each other and Xander replied. "And this is supposed to mean what to me, exactly?"

Shenzi looked equally mystified.

Janus nodded. He had assumed that he would have to explain this… just not to this large an audience. "The Tok'ra are symbiotic life form, bearing a passing resemblance to your world's snakes. During our lives, the Tok'ra burrow into the body of a willing host and blend with them, allowing for an equal share between the human and Tok'ra of control of the host body…"

Xander shifted uncomfortable before speaking. "Ummmm… Not to be a spoiled sport, but I sure as hell didn't volunteer for this to happen…"

"And I know for a fact that I didn't," put in Shenzi.

"So we don't really see how you can call me a willing host."

Janus allowed a shamefaced expression to come to the fore. "I am sorry for that, Xander. I fear the circumstances I found myself in forced me to blend first and ask later. You see I was, until today, an incorporeal being of extraordinary power. However, the rules under which I can return to corporeal form are very tricky and you presented the only opportunity I had to gain a new host immediately upon my return to corporeal form. My people are in need of the help and aid I can provide, Xander. All I ask of you are two things. The first I ask is that you consider blending with me. Granted, the blending will require you to share your body, but there are advantages to it…"

"And the second…"

"For the second… I would ask that, if you are truly against the blending, that you accept it for long enough that we can find a new host for me."

Xander grudgingly acknowledged the reasonableness of the second request. "What exactly is blending? What are the advantages and disadvantages…?"

Janus smiled. "Blending is the full integration of a Tok'ra with a human host. Once the blending is complete it is generally not ended until one or both are dead, though it is still possible. Generally removal is easier with unblended types, like the Goa'uld, who do not blend, but rather dominate."

"What are the Goa'uld?"

"The Goa'uld are the same race as the Tok'ra, save that they have different values. A Goa'uld tends to be a megalomaniac and dominate his or her host. A Tok'ra shares with the host, both control and abilities in all respects."

Xander nodded. "Please. You said there were advantages."

Janus nodded agreeably. "Indeed there are. The Tok'ra provides their hosts with above average strength, spectacular healing abilities and a greatly extended life, though they still tend not outlive their symbiotes. You would also have access to a wealth of knowledge, and the ability to use Goa'uld technology…"

"And… the disadvantages…?"

"Merely any that would involve sharing a body with another. You are already aware of most of them, though you would have to add ceding control of your body to another at times to your list of disadvantages."

Xander considered for a long time, or at least it felt long to all three involved. In reality, it was not quite so long. There were many unsaid disadvantages, Xander was sure. Foremost among them was Janus' obvious desire to aid his people in the fight against the Goa'uld. Still, Xander couldn't deny that he understood where the guy was coming from there. He felt the same way about aiding his friends in the fight against the night. A compromise would have to be reached, but that might be workable.

In addition, there was the prospect of having special abilities being dangled in front of him. He understood that Buffy believed them to be a burden, but in many ways they offered a chance to do more good then he felt he was able to do without powers. Xander's self esteem had never been great, and hanging around Buffy and Angel was not helping him. Even Willow was the very heart and soul of research girl and education girl and hacker girl. She was useful, and he felt like he wasn't… "How do we go about the blending?" he said, his resolve firming.

"Ummmm… Just a thought, but… what about me?"

Janus and Xander turned to see Shenzi looking uncharacteristically needy. They had completely forgotten him. "Can I join too?"

As Xander opened his mouth to tell Shenzi to forget it, Shenzi beat him to the punch. "Look, I know I wasn't very nice to your friends before, and that you haven't been able to look at pork since the pig incident, but I'm just going crazy trapped in your head. I don't get to do anything anymore. It's not like I can't be useful to the both of you. I have keen senses and I'm fast and strong. I'm very fond of the whole hunting and tracking and killing thing, which you guys are gonna do anyway. I just want to be cut in. I promise, I'll rein in my eating habits and I won't jump anyone that hasn't agreed to it. Please. Come on, man, I'm bored as anything…"

Again Xander was cut off before he could speak, though this time it was Janus. "A word of warning before you deny him… Because he is already in your head, I'm not entirely sure we can blend without him."

Xander stared long and hard at Shenzi. "Okay pal, but you make one false move on Buffy again and I'm getting you spayed."

Shenzi cringed at that. "Gotcha boss. I'll keep myself in line."

Xander turned to Janus and grinned. "Lay the whammy on us, Mr. J."

* * *

_Ethan's Costume Emporium_  
_October 31st 1997_

As Ethan gasped for breath after the beating Ripper had laid down upon him, Giles smashed the statue of Janus and ended the spell…

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Hyena and Tok'ra and Human, Oh My!

_Jasper_


	4. Revelation

_**Chapter III: Revelation**_

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I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

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_October 31st 1997  
Streets of Sunnydale_

With the spell gone, Janus no longer retained absolute control of the body without wanting to. And so Xander's eyes were normal, then flashed golden, then flashed green and then were normal again. "Woah… what a rush."

Seeing that he was back in control of everything again, Xander rushed out of the house and onto the streets of Sunnydale, heading for a particularly secluded crypt. With his hand device and his enhanced senses, Xander felt confident he would not be ambushed. This feeling was fueled by Buffy's previous assertion that Halloween was quiet.

Shenzi scoffed from within Xander. 'You honestly think that bint was correct? Do you even remember what just happened? That was not the definition of a quiet night, Pup!'

Xander rolled his eyes, mentally scolding himself for leaving Shenzi that opening to snark him. Shenzi was right anyway. Caution was needed every night. Still, his new sense of smell should detect most oddities without much trouble.

The trek took Xander quite some time, but Janus quietly urged him on, saying that the results were worth it. Xander nodded internally. If what he could detect of Janus' thought processes was correct then it could indeed be very handy. 'How is it that Sunnydale came to have the prison of a Goa'uld here? I mean, I know that we're something of a magnet for the strange, but I didn't think the Goa'uld had much presence in North America.'

Xander could feel Janus mentally grin at his deduction. 'Quite so, but Sokar understood the power of the hellmouth and took great pleasure in placing his enemies there, sealed forever.'

'Sort of like Ne'tu then, huh'

'Indeed, Xander. Exactly so.'

It took Xander a moment, following Janus' careful instructions on the operation of Goa'uld technology, to enter the tomb of Sekhmet. Xander immediately smashed the canopic jar, killing the symbiote inside immediately after. He would never realise that this killing was the ultimate mercy, preventing Sekhmet from being uncovered by the N.I.D. Project Initiative a few years later and turned into a science experiment.

After releasing Sekhmet to death's embrace, Xander walked over to the artefacts, sorting the useful from the ornate but worthless. The Goa'uld apparently liked their gold. 'Gold is a fairly rare element in the grand scheme of the galaxy, but not particularly useful in most advanced technology, unlike Naquadah or Trinium. It is therefore used in great quantities for aesthetic affect among the Goa'uld. It is a matter of status that the hand devices and other such things are made with gold. Status is very important to the Goa'uld.'

Xander nodded physically at Janus' little monologue as he finally came across the good stuff. He found another hand device, useless to him save as a spare since they were only built for the right hand. He also however found a healing device and two long-range visual communication devices. The latter devices were the model that could fit in the palm of his hand. 'Bingo. This is perfect.' Suddenly Xander felt a mischievousness enter him. 'Shenzi, are you pondering what I'm pondering?'

He felt a mental grin in return. 'I think so Xand, but if we cover the system lords in cotton candy, what will the circus get by with…?'

Janus gave a mental snort at the repartee. 'Who knew I was blending with Abbott and Costello?'

Xander grinned. 'Exactly.'

'Who knew?'

'Yes.'

Janus rolled his eyes mentally as Shenzi and Xander started their own version of the classic Abbott and Costello skit. "I don't know what was going through your mind."

Xander and Shenzi just ignored him. 'My kingdom for a sane conversationalist.'

* * *

_November 1st 1997  
Sunnydale High School_

Rupert Giles surveyed his charges as they sat around the table, prepared to give their reports.

Willow looked a little bit off colour, probably from being forced to be in charge the night before. Willow was rather meek by nature and generally preferred to let Buffy or even Xander run the show with her just supporting them. The situation last night, which had left Buffy helpless and Xander MIA, had forced her to take charge. Luckily she had managed to have Angel protect Buffy and Cordy whilst she had contacted Giles. Giles was relieved that someone had managed to keep their head that night.

Buffy was looking humiliated at the moment, a condition he couldn't really blame her for. How was she to have known that she would get turned into her costume on Halloween, especially when he himself had informed her that it would be a slow night for the supernatural? Damn that Ethan.

Xander though was something of a cause for concern. His leather jacket was currently sending Buffy into slight shivers at the memory of the last time he had worn it and he was happily tossing a grey ball of some sort up in the air and catching it deftly, belying his usual clumsiness with a truly casual grace. The boy was the picture of confidence and unconcern, a stark contrast. Something had changed.

"I would like to get your reports on what you experienced and retained from last night."

Willow took that as the cue to begin and babbled rapidly out the tale of her previous night's adventures, throwing the occasional glare at Buffy when she mentioned Lady Elizabeth calling he a harlot. Willow had experienced no changes, either good or bad from the experience.

Buffy was next, detailing her annoyance with the pitiful Lady Elizabeth, who seemed to be scared of a stiff breeze. Buffy had apparently spent the night running from one fright to another, including Angel, Pirate Larry, Spike and the ever-frightening car demon! As if to compensate her for her shoddy costume personality, Buffy had retained a certain ability to speak French which she was hoping to use to great affect in her French class.

Finally Giles turned to Xander. "And you, Xander? How did your night occur? I don't believe you ever met up with the others last night…"

Xander grinned a maniacal grin that Giles feared he'd only seen once. "I completed a blending between myself, Shenzi and Janus last night. I retain many of their abilities and both of their personalities have about ⅓ control over my body each."

Giles felt his chest tighten. "And Shenzi and Janus are?"

Shenzi's grin widened. "Shenzi is me, the primal spirit that Xander encountered last year. But don't worry, I've promised to be good. Janus is the one who empowered the spell in the first place."

And, with that declaration, the room burst into a melee of shouting and chaos. Shenzi grinned. 'It's good being me…'

* * *

Ain't he a stinker?

Jasper


	5. Initial Reactions

**Chapter IV: Initial Reactions**

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

* * *

_November 1st 1997  
Sunnydale High School_

"Silence!" The resonant voice shocked the Scoobies into silence as Xander's eyes gleamed with a strange yellow light. "It will be far easier to answer your questions if you would merely speak one at a time."

Giles was polishing his glasses rapidly, something that Janus knew was a nervous habit from Xander's memories. Still, despite that, he was the first to manage to gather himself and speak again. "To whom are we speaking at the moment?"

Janus smiled. The man was very observant to note the colour change in their eyes as Janus superseded Shenzi, even while they were all still reeling over Shenzi's rather abrupt and inappropriately-timed announcement. "I am Janus of Kheb…"

"What have you done with Xander?"

Janus started at the look of pure fury on the redhead's face. It took only a moment to review Xander's memories and realise that the girl had a crush on his new host.

'She has a crush on me? No way. I'd have noticed that!'

'It has been my experience that males of your species are very unskilled in recognising the signs of attraction in the females of your species.'

'I'm with the snake on this one, Pup. You can practically smell the pheromones wafting off of her.'

Janus quickly tuned out Xander and Shenzi as they dissolved into bickering over whether Willow was attracted to him. He needed to talk fast before the girl grew angrier. "I have done nothing to Xander. When Ethan Rayne initiated his spell, I simply took the opportunity to offer Xander a different way of life as the host of a Tok'ra. Shenzi was part of the bargain. Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate remains to be seen."

Willow seemed to be desperately trying to figure out whether she should be angry or not. Buffy looked to be restraining an instinct to slay him on sight, probably more then a little weirded out by Shenzi's presence. Finally Willow came to a conclusion. "Giles, we need to exorcise whatever that is…"

"I'm afraid that's quite impossible, Wills."

Willow froze and looked deep into the host's eyes. "Xander? Is that you? I mean really you?"

Xander merely hugged his best friend gently. Janus had decided that while he was the most qualified to discuss things, having Xander do the talking would perhaps set his friends at ease. "It's me, Wills. Janus and Shenzi are still with me, but I'm in control at the moment."

"Don't worry, Xander. Giles is going to get his books and we'll get them both out of you properly this time. We'll research day and night if we have to and I promise that…"

"Wills." Xander placed a finger on Willow's lips, silencing the stream of babble that had been pouring forth in an uncontrolled rush. "You can't do that. First of all, the possession type is physical as well as mental. It's not really magical anymore and so magic won't erase it. Besides, Wills, I chose this. I did. It was my decision."

"What gives you the right to choose that sort of thing without consulting us, Xander Harris?" Buffy's angry voice broke into the conversation.

Xander's eyes flashed green. "Maybe if you were his wife or girlfriend, he'd consider letting you make the decision, Blondie. But until then it's the Pup's choice what he lets into his mind."

Buffy glared fiercely at Shenzi. "You shut up you… you… thing!"

Shenzi smirked broadly, unable to let that go. "You still smell great when you're riled, sweetheart. Just say the word and you can be my alpha female."

'You take far to much pleasure in driving that girl bonkers, Shenzi.'

'I meant what I said. She smells magnificent.'

'Shenzi, I swear you need to be permanently muzzled.'

'Bite me, Pup.'

'Talk to Deadboy, Shenzi. That's not my schtick.'

'Please, you wouldn't know style if it bit you in the ass.'

"Xander!"

Xander came back out of his mind to find Giles and Willow looking at him worriedly. "Sorry about that, G-man. Shenzi and I were having ourselves a little fight about his lack of tact. Where'd Buff go?"

Giles sighed softly. "She left, I'm afraid. I'll talk to her for you Xander. Still, I must ask. Are these new personalities of yours dangerous?"

Xander grinned. "I promise, G-man. Janus is a pretty nice guy, actually. Sort of like you only older and with a lot of rebel in him. As for Shenzi, well Janus and I have informed him that if he doesn't keep his more unpleasant aspects curbed, we're gonna take him to the vet and get him fixed."

Giles' eyes gleamed with mild amusement. "Yes, I suppose that would be convincing to a canine personality. Do be careful, Xander. I'd like to talk some more about this later."

Xander nodded. "I'll see you after class, G-man." With that, Xander and Willow left the library together.

"Are you sure you're okay, Xander."

"We're fine, Wills."

Willow couldn't help but feel a touch disturbed by how naturally Xander was using we to describe himself.

* * *

Before anybody reams me out for bashing Buffy, I'd like to point out that an initial bad reaction from her is absolutely in character and logical. You've gotta remember that Shenzi did try to rape her once. It's not exactly something that fosters love and trust. Buffy will eventually accept Xander's changes, though I doubt if she will ever like Shenzi in the slightest.

_Jasper_


	6. Goodbye

_**Chapter V: Goodbye**_

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

* * *

_November 5th 1997  
Sunnydale High School_

'Remember, remember the fifth of November…'

Xander loosed a dramatic mental sigh. 'I knew I shouldn't have let you read about Guy Fawkes, Janus.'

The last few days had been tense to say the least. It had taken all of the Scoobies some time to get used to Xander sharing head-space with a snake and a hyena. Buffy, unfortunately, was still not fully able to accept it.

Frankly, Xander didn't blame Buffy for disliking the situation. It was a toss-up which of them (Buffy or Xander) had been traumatised worse by Shenzi. Xander figured it was Buffy, in the end, despite the fact that Shenzi never managed to do what he'd intended. Attempted rape is a bad enough thing for even a normal girl to live with, but for a slayer it was actually worse. A slayer is a being that needs to be in control and such an act strips her of that feeling remarkably effectively. Xander had high hopes that Buffy would accept his new status, though he knew she would never be able to accept Shenzi in any meaningful way.

Today was Xander's last day of school, ever. It had taken less then a day of Sunnyhell High's schooling for Janus to declare that there was no way in heaven or hell that he was going to waste their time in that classroom. Xander had rapidly acquiesced to Janus' hysterics. The Tok'ra was an incredibly ancient being and was well past high school math, science and computers. Likewise, Janus did not care about Earth's geography that much, and could look up what little he cared to.

The last few days had been a whirlwind of testing for his GED, getting his emancipation approved and various other administrative things that Xander and his mental bunkmates needed to get out of town.

Xander stared at his best friend since forever for a long moment. It had taken Janus and Shenzi a long time to ram it into his skull, but he could no longer deny that Willow was attracted to him. She was the one who was here in the parking lot to see him off. "I'm going to miss you, Xander."

Xander smiled benignly and opened his arms, allowing Willow to slam into his chest in a patented Willow-hug. "I'll be here whenever you need me, Wills."

Willow locked her tearful gaze to his, burrowing into his eyes. "How?"

Xander pulled out a grey globe and put it into her hand. She recognised it as the one he had been playing with on the first. "This is a long-range, visual communication device, Wills. I've hot-wired it to be linked to another one that is in my pocket. With that we can stay in contact no matter how many stars are between us. If you need an extra hand, or even if you just want to talk for a while, give me a call."

Willow smiled, her expression still wet with tears. "Why aren't your roommates talking at all, Xand?"

Xander smirked, slightly resembling Shenzi then. "Janus understands that I need some private time with my Willow-girl…"

"And Shenzi?"

"Understands what horrors I will inflict on him if he interrupts private time with my Willow-girl."

Willow allowed a giggle to escape her at a strange mental image of one Xander with another Xander in a headlock. The giggle quickly dissolved into a sombre frown. "Do you really have to go?"

Xander nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry Will, but Janus' people need him. You guys are at a slow period right now. Buffy can handle it."

Willow understood that, she really did, but that didn't mean she had to like it. "Do me one favour before you go?"

Xander shrugged. "Of course. Anything for you, Willow."

Willow grinned and did something she'd not done before. She temporarily shed the shyness that had plagued her since childhood and slammed a kiss into Xander Harris' lips that he would not soon forget.

Remembering his promise, Xander did not even attempt to break the passionate embrace. He understood how difficult it had been for Willow to muster up the courage to do this and was not about to shatter her by pushing her away. Besides, Xander was a teenage boy and was not about to turn this down.

Finally Willow let him loose. "I'm going to miss you, Xander Harris. Don't ever forget me."

Xander allowed a shy grin to cross his face. "I could never forget my Willow. We've been friends since Kindergarten. A little distance can't conquer that which has flourished in the shadow of the Cordettes. I do want you to make me one promise, Wills."

Willow shifted uncomfortably at the request. She could sense that it was going to be something big. "Okay."

Xander locked his eyes to hers once more. "I love you, Willow, more then anything." He could practically see his red-haired friend glowing at the pronouncement. "You and I will always love one another. That doesn't mean we're going to be together the way you want, Wills." Willow's glow was fading fast, replaced by a frown. "I want you to keep your eyes open while I'm gone, Wills. If you still want me to be your boyfriend after High School, then we can talk. I happen to think that there is someone better for you out there. I want you to promise to open yourself to the possibility."

Willow's frown deepened. That was not a promise she wanted to make. Still, she had given her word to her best friend since forever. "I promise, Xand."

Xander pulled Willow into one last hug. "I love you, Willow. Always."

Willow smiled shyly. "I love you too, Xander." And she let him go, in more ways then one.

As Xander walked away, his roommates began chattering again.

'I still say you should have used the goodbye to get laid. She'd have gone for it, easy.'

'Shut up, Shenzi.'

'You did the right thing, Xander. She needed to know that you'd still love her no matter what.'

'I know, Janus. Thanks for helping me work that out. I hope she finds someone who can love her the way that she deserves.'

'She will, Xander. You can count on it. Oma Desala mentioned that one of her worshipers might be interested.'

'I don't want to know, Janus.'

'I could stand to hear a little more!'

'Shut up, Shenzi!'

* * *

Next stop? SGC... ;)

Jasper


	7. The Direct Approach

**Chapter VI: The Direct Approach**

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

Takes place between Singularity and Cor-Ai.

* * *

_November 7th 1997  
Outside Cheyenne Mountain_

'Okay, we're within sight of the darn place. Now how exactly are we going to get into a top secret military base, located under NORAD of all places, access the Stargate and get offworld without anyone being the wiser?'

'We could try the direct approach.'

'Please tell me the direct approach doesn't involve fighting our way in.'

'It doesn't.'

'Thank the heavens. I was preparing to question your sanity for a moment there.'

'I was suggesting we tell them who I am and convince them to let us go through.'

'Are you out of your cotton-pickin' mind!?'

'You know, I'm not usually one to agree with the kid, but I've gotta join him on this one. You've gone bonkers, Jannie old boy.'

'Have you got any better ideas?'

'How about something a touch more covert?'

'And exactly how would you go about doing that? We Tok'ra are pretty good at infiltration, but that's mainly because we know how the Goa'uld think. Unless you've got the brains of an American soldier rattling around in here, I think we're left with the direct approach.'

'What about the other gate you mentioned?'

'It's in the middle of nowhere in Antarctica, buried under a crap-load of ice. Trust me, that one's not going to be of any use, whatsoever, anytime soon. In fact, telling them about it might be a way to get into their good graces.'

'You might be onto something, Janus. You kept everything about the Earth gates and a fair bit of intel concerning the state of the galaxy. We can use that to work things out some. Any idea who we should ask for?'

'General George Hammond.'

'All right, let's do this then. You two keep quiet at first. I'm gonna have enough trouble selling this as just me…'

* * *

_November 8th 1997  
Briefing Room, Stargate Command_

Colonel Jack O'Neill, commander of SG-1, strolled into the briefing room to find the rest of his team and the general were all in attendance. "What's all the hoo-ha, sir? I thought we had the week off to help Cassandra get all nice and settled?"

General Hammond issued a long-suffering look that shut up his subordinate. "Security outside Cheyenne Mountain picked up a young man yesterday that was asking permission to see the Commander of Deep Space Radar Telemetry."

O'Neill blinked slowly. "That's our cover, sir."

The general nodded tiredly. "I'm aware of that, Jack. After about an hour of trying to send the kid away, he mentioned that he was really interested in talking about our snake collection. An SGC guard, who was monitoring the cameras, sent word down that the man was to be taken into custody and sent down here."

Jack pinched his nose in irritation. "How bad of a security breech are we talking here, sir?"

Hammond shrugged slightly. "I'll let you people be the judges of that." With that, George slipped a tape of the interrogation into the VCR.

* * *

"What is your name and where are you from?"

"Alexander Harris, from Sunnydale, California."

"Why are you here?"

"I have strong reason to believe that this command houses a Stargate. I'm here hoping to secure access to the gate so that I may leave this planet."

"What makes you think that this 'Stargate' is here, or that you can leave Earth with anything under this mountain?"

"I have intelligence from a good friend of mine that indicates it's here."

"Would that be… Willow Rosenberg? She's on the national watch list as a dangerous hacker."

"I am friends with Willow, but she's never hacked your command. She's not my intelligence source."

"Who then? Intelligence doesn't show you as associating with anyone else who could possibly have gotten that information."

The kid smirked. "The same friend who thought you might like to know more about the Earth gates."

"Gates? You claimed one was here, something I have not yet confirmed. What makes you think there is more then one?"

"The source was quite clear. There are two here."

"Then why come to one you believe is on a military base? Are you claiming that another of these so-called gates is in the hands of another world power?"

"No. However, I'm of the opinion that unburying a gate in the depths of an ice chasm in Antarctica would take me quite a lot of time. I'm rather hoping to try the diplomatic approach and be on my way within less then a month…"

* * *

General Hammond clicked the stop button. "Opinions?"

SG-1, as a whole, was silent for a long moment.

Jackson started things off first. "Has any attempt been made to confirm the existence of a second gate?"

Hammond shook his head. "With only the knowledge that it's in an icy canyon in Antarctica, we don't really have much to work with there. Apparently that's the limit of the intel he has on a second gate. He also claims the Giza DHD is in the hands of Russia, though he says that without a gate they have no way of knowing what it does."

O'Neill frowned. "So basically he's given us two tantalising stories that we have no way of verifying without either letting the Russians into the program or conducting a very extensive and therefore noticeable search of Antarctica. Both of which would potentially expose the existence of the gate and this command."

The general nodded in agreement. "Exactly. The question then becomes what we will do with him? He refuses to give us anything more until he talks to me directly. He even asked for me by name."

Jack considered briefly. "Any chance he was lying about the hacker not being his source."

Here Carter broke in. "Not a chance, sir. I've been over the girl's history. She's very good and could even potentially have gotten into the system, but there is no way she could have done it unnoticed. Our security is damned good, sir, and we have a lot of very good people monitoring the system, just in case someone makes a move against our firewalls."

Teal'c summed up the general feeling. "It would seem to me that we have no choice. If we wish to know how this young man knows of this command, then we must allow him to meet with GeneralHammond."

The general nodded reluctantly. "Agreed. But I'll want you people to come with me. Teal'c is immune to just about everything we've seen so far and Captain Carter will be immune to anything sex-specific. The last thing we need is another Hathor-style security breech at this command."

The team stood up to follow the general out. It was time to meet their mysterious visitor.

* * *

Probably not my best work, but I hope you enjoy it until the next update... ;)

Jasper


	8. Janus of Kheb

**Janus of Kheb**

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively. One of my plot devices in this fic is borrowed from althor42 (of ) with his/her permission.

* * *

_November 8th 1997  
Holding Room I, Stargate Command_

Xander was sitting cross-legged in a chair with his eyes closed when SG-1 and General Hammond entered the holding room that was apparently meant to keep him from escaping. His nostrils flared briefly as if he was sniffing the air and the young man smiled and opened his eyes. "I'm glad that you chose to meet with me, General Hammond." He paused and locked eyes with each of Hammond's companions. "And doubly honoured that you would bring SG-1 to meet me as well…"

Jack was no longer able to remain silent. "Have we met?"

Xander grinned in response. "No, we have not. But I know of you and recognise you by sight. You are Colonel Jack O'Neill, SG-1's unit commander. The blonde is Captain Samantha Carter, your unit's primary scientist. The bookish-looking guy is Dr. Daniel Jackson, your unit's linguist and the man who cracked the stargate. And tall, dark and silent can only be Master Teal'c of Chulak, the former First Prime of Apophis…"

Teal'c's eyes were narrowed in suspicion. He was pretty sure he could sense a symbiote. "And how did you come upon this information?"

Xander smiled and inclined his head towards Teal'c before standing straight again. When his eyes met Teal'c's again, they were lit with the unholy light that indicated a Goa'uld. "I told him myself, Master Teal'c. I have long wished to meet you. Shal'kek nem'ron, my brother. I am Janus of Kheb."

Teal'c's expression of shock was so strong that it was actually notable to someone who didn't know him.

* * *

_November 8th 1997  
Briefing Room, Stargate Command_

"What the hell was that about, Teal'c. Was that or was that not a Goa'uld that somehow knows way too much about us?"

Teal'c stared out the observation window at the Stargate for a long moment before replying to Jack's irritated question. "There is a legend amongst my people, O'Neill, of a Goa'uld who defied Ra and fought for the freedom of all. He was called Janus of Kheb. It was he who first spoke the words Shal'kek nem'ron."

Seeing Jack's quizzical look, Daniel filled in the blanks. "I die free."

Teal'c nodded at the translation. "Janus of Kheb was rumoured to be one of the first members of the Tok'ra and is reputedly the only one who ever found the courage to challenge a system lord directly."

Hammond frowned faintly. "If this Janus is so famous, then why haven't we heard of him? And how did he get to Earth without our knowledge?"

Teal'c's face did not change, but those who knew him best recognised that he was contemplating what had been asked of him. "Janus of Kheb was supposedly killed by Ra over five thousand years ago. This occurred just before the burial of the Tau'ri Stargate. It is possible that Ra chose to imprison Janus here and that Janus has only now been able to claim a new host."

Sam shook her head in denial. "I'm sorry, Teal'c, but that just doesn't add up. If Janus has been imprisoned on Earth than how can he possibly know all of our names and so much about us?"

Hammond nodded in agreement. "Yes, his intelligence on us is of concern."

O'Neill slammed a fist down on the table. "Why are we even talking about this? He's a Goa'uld. Shouldn't we be trying to kill him and free his host?"

Teal'c locked eyes with O'Neill, his gaze as steady as a rock. "And am I just a Jaffa, O'Neill?"

Jack looked uncomfortable at the confrontation. He had been locked into a nice little world where all Goa'uld were evil and was unnerved to have his beliefs questioned. "Well what makes him different from all the other Goa'uld, then?"

Teal'c offered the faintest quirk of a smile. "He fights for freedom from oppression and is willing to die for his beliefs."

It was Daniel who broke the silence next. "The question we should really be asking ourselves is whether this is the Janus whom Teal'c speaks of. A cunning enough Goa'uld could be using the Jaffa legend to help him escape Earth. Teal'c did say this Janus was reputedly dead, right?"

Teal'c nodded reluctantly. "Then it seems we must question him further."

Hammond jerked his head in compliance. "Agreed. We need to discover if he is who he claims to be, how he came to know so much about us and what he plans to do if we allow him to go free."

* * *

_November 8th 1997  
Holding Room I, Stargate Command_

Xander glanced up to find SG-1 and Hammond reentering the room. "Back again, I see. I take it you have some more questions for me?"

Jack's impatient expression exploded into a snap of irritation. "Would you stop trying to hide behind that human face. We already know you're a Goa'uld."

Xander's eyes flared ominously as his personality gave way to Janus. "I am not a Goa'uld, at least not in the sense that you mean. I am a member of the Tok'ra."

"Against Ra?"

Janus turned to stare at Daniel. "Yes. Upon our formation, Ra was the supreme system lord in this galaxy. It seemed appropriate."

Jack was still chewing on Janus' earlier comment. "So are you or aren't you a Goa'uld?"

Janus shrugged expressively. "Let us put it in a way you can best understand. I am as much of a Goa'uld as you are a Nazi. We are of the same general race, but we have a different value system."

"How is that even possible?" Carter chimed in. "I thought Goa'uld had genetic memory which meant that each symbiote was programed from birth with the whole Goa'uld moral code."

Janus smiled, a gentle, almost reminiscing smile. "Several millennia ago, a Goa'uld named Egeria crash-landed on a world that was covered in a dense forest. She met one of the natives and ordered her to take Egeria to the Stargate. The woman simply smiled and agreed to help and led Egeria towards the Stargate. The gate itself was on the other side of the planet, and the journey took many moons. Over that time, Egeria found the soft and innocent words of her companion more and more compelling. By the end of the journey to the gate, Egeria was a changed being.

"Upon reaching the gate, the woman who had guided her asked Egeria if she had found what she was looking for. And Egeria smiled and replied, 'Yes, though I did not know I was seeking it'. Egeria left that world and went out into the galaxy, spawning children that would feel as she did. And thus the Tok'ra were born."

Daniel's jaw dropped. "That must have been some conversation."

Janus smirked. "The woman was most persuasive, as are all her people from what I understand."

"And who was this woman that so affected a Goa'uld that she formed an entirely new sub-species."

"Her name was Sesca of the Nox."

Jack's lips quirked faintly. "Yes, we've heard they can be quite persuasive."

"Indeed." Teal'c concluded.

* * *

AN: The plot device from althor42 is the concept of how Egeria became the first Tok'ra after a walk with a Nox.

AN2: The reason I used a new Nox name is because none of the Nox are old enough for my purposes. The eldest we meet was a bit shy of 500.

Welcome to August. In addition to my normal updates, every two weeks on the Saturday, I will be attempting to post one update or short story of some sort per day. I hope you enjoy it.

_Jasper_


	9. All About Janus

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They are the property of Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

* * *

**Chapter VIII: All About Janus**

_November 8__th__, 1997_

_Holding Room I, Stargate Command_

"So you know the Nox, then?"

Janus shook his head. "It would be more appropriate to say that I know of the Nox. No modern Nox would ever recognise me. It has been too long for even the eldest of their race."

Daniel mentally acknowledged the point. The eldest Nox they had ever met was Ohper, who had been 432 years old. While that was ancient by human standards, it was absolutely paltry when compared to the 5,000 odd years that Janus had apparently been out of circulation.

General Hammond stared at the so-called Tok'ra for a long moment, attempting to formulate a question that might help this situation. "We require an explanation of how you came to Earth, Mr. Janus. We also wish to know how you came to know how you came to gain so much information on this command. I'm sure you understand what a security breach that is."

Janus smirked. "Yes, I thought I might ruffle a few feathers. Tell me, Master Teal'c, what do you know of me? It will help me if I can skip what you already know."

O'Neill interrupted before the Jaffa could speak up. "I'd actually like to hear this version without you knowing what Teal'c knows. Spotting inconsistencies and all that. I'm sure you'll understand."

The Tok'ra offered a smirk of respect. "I do indeed. I only ask for the opportunity to discuss any inconsistencies that do pop up. Master Teal'c is reliant on 5,000 year old Jaffa legends for his facts. There are some things that might have blurred with time."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "That's fair, Jack. Legends do have a tendency to shift and change over long periods."

Hammond acknowledged the points his subordinates were making. "I agree. You will give your tale without accompaniment, Mr. Janus, and then you will have an opportunity to defend any inconsistencies in your story."

Janus tilted his head in agreement. "I have already told you of how the Tok'ra were first spawned. With the rise of the Tok'ra, the Goa'uld were faced with a deadly threat. War broke out across the galaxy. The Tok'ra were having much success at first, because we did not fight amongst ourselves as much as the Goa'uld. Unfortunately, Ra proved cannier than anyone gave him credit for. Realizing that as long as the Tok'ra could replenish their numbers they would be a significant threat, Ra captured and imprisoned our beloved Queen Egeria. It is believed by modern Tok'ra that she was killed, but I have since learned that she was captured.

"With the fall of Queen Egeria, things became more desperate. I myself went to my chosen world of Kheb with all those Jaffa that were loyal to me. I then lured Ra into a trap that should have broken him. Unfortunately for me, I underestimated the strength of Ra's might and my people were defeated. I was brought before Ra and then executed before him and his court. Before I died, I spoke the words 'Shal'kek nem'ron', which means 'I die free'. That is the last the world knew of me for millennia."

Teal'c nodded silently. The story was largely consistent with what was largely known, though the fact that Janus was alive again somehow made little sense.

Sam blinked slowly and then shook her head. "All well and good, but how do you explain that you are alive now? You just stated that you had died 5,000 years ago. How is that even remotely possible?"

Janus smiled patiently. "Tell me, Captain Carter, has anyone amongst your people heard of the Ancients?"

All five of Janus' audience shook their heads.

Janus nodded in acknowledgement. "It is a little known fact that the Goa'uld have suppressed, but which all Goa'uld and Tok'ra know due to our genetic memory. The Ancients were the builders of the Stargates. They are a race that preceded the Goa'uld by many millennia. What is not known to any save me is what became of the Gate-Builders. Long ago, the Ancients learned the path to ascension. This is a way of moving beyond one's physical form and existing as an energy being. That day on Kheb, I made the momentous achievement of becoming the first non-Ancient to achieve ascension without the help of others."

Jack offered up a sneer of contempt. "So you're saying you became a god? Is that it?"

Janus shrugged faintly. "I could argue that the ascended have god-like powers, but they are not actual gods. In fact, there are strict rules of non-interference which prevent us from truly acting like gods in the sense that you mean.

"But back to my story. Upon my ascension, I chose to pretend that I was truly gone and I laid in wait for a moment when the Goa'uld displayed weakness once more. My time came when you, Jack O'Neill, killed Ra. With Ra's death, the system lords no longer had firm leadership and civil war began. I began to carefully investigate things I felt that I needed to know before regaining mortal form, the location of Queen Egeria being foremost among them. And then I waited for my opportunity to regain mortal form."

Daniel shook his head in confusion. "I'm sorry but why did you have to wait? Is there a long procedure in taking mortal form again?"

Janus smiled benignly. "Taking mortal form is not difficult, no. However it is not something that is done lightly. By taking mortal form, I gave up the powers of the ascended, including 80% of my knowledge and power. Still worse, I have been informed that I will not be allowed to ascend again. This is my last chance. For an ascended symbiote, like me, the problems are dire. My host had not ascended with me, and so I needed to regain mortal form in such a way that offered me a host immediately. I'm sure you can imagine how irritated I would have been to retake mortal form and then be stuck helpless in a pool of water for my whole life."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, that'd be a bummer."

The Tokra' offered up the evil eye. "Yes… A bummer indeed. It took me the better part of two years to plan an advantageous descent and then I came to Xander."

Janus' head tilted and the yellow glow faded. Xander raised his head again. "Which is where I come into the story. Janus had to take a non-standard approach to blending with me. He couldn't just ask my permission, after all. He had no way of doing so. Instead he decided it was better to ask permission after blending and, given the circumstances, I can't really think of a better way for him to have done so. In the end, though, I chose to submit to the blending."

Hammond nodded slightly. "And your intelligence on our base. Am I to understand that…?"

Xander nodded agreeably. "Yes, Janus gathered whatever information he felt would be useful to him. Since he picked me as a host, he realised it would be important for him to know things like the Antarctic Gate and the names and faces of the key players at the SGC. An ascended can easily get such information, you see."

Jack tilted his head, considering something else. "Why give up what you say was essentially godhood?"

Xander's eyes flashed gold again, and Janus spoke. "As I put it to one my friends amongst the ascended, what good is ultimate power if you're never allowed to wield it?"

"I quite agree." The members of SG-1 turned to find an Air Force colonel standing behind them. "And I'd very much like to see what we can get from you about this power…"

Hammond puffed up in irritation. "And you would be, _Colonel?_"

The colonel offered a smarmy smile. "Colonel Harry Maybourne, Sir, of the NID. I'm here to take this alien into custody."

* * *

Uh oh...

Here is the August 5th contribution...

Jasper


	10. NID: National Institute of Dimwits

**_Chapter IX: The NID (National Institute of Dimwits)_**

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. They belong to Joss Whedon and MGM respectively.

* * *

_November 8th, 1997  
Holding Room I, Stargate Command_

Colonel Harry Maybourne put up an excellent show of superiority as he met the alien's unworried stare with a pompous glare of his own. "Stand up and come here. You're coming with me."

The colonel felt a sense of unease begin to well in his stomach as the alien entity laughed aloud in its all too human voice. "You were talking to me then? Gee man, I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not an alien. I'm from California."

Maybourne growled faintly. "I know you're a Goa'uld, young man. So you can just cut the games and come with me."

Xander grinned benignly. "Actually, I'm a human. It's the symbiote within me that might be called a Goa'uld, if you want to be politically incorrect. If you want to be polite, he's a Tok'ra.

Maybourne shook his head in faint exasperation. "Goa'uld or Tok'ra, I have a piece of paper that puts you in my custody. It's even signed by the president."

Xander shrugged uncaringly. "The president? Well isn't that special. I don't suppose I can take a look at this important document that apparently makes me your prisoner?"

"You may not. I'll not have you destroying an official document of the United States government."

The Californian lad snorted in amusement. "I'm not planning to destroy it. I want to make sure that it's real and that it says what you say it does. Janus says he wouldn't put it past the National Institute of Dimwits, that's you, to try to fake something up. What are you afraid of, Colonel? If I tear up the document, I'll all but openly confirm that it's authentic to everyone in this room."

Hammond and SG-1 looked on in shock and faint amusement as Xander forced the NID man into a situation where he either had to put up or shut up.

Maybourne looked conflicted. He really wanted to rip the kid a new one for having the gall to insult the National Intelligence Directorate, but he really had nothing to hide. The document from the president might have been gotten by slightly underhanded means, but it certainly said what he had claimed it did. Slowly, Maybourne withdrew his Presidential Order and laid it on the table. "Read away, kid. It won't change anything."

Xander calmly pulled the document over to his side of the table and then inspected it. It took him no time to come to the conclusion that Janus was right. The NID was filled with idiots.

Shenzi snorted from within his mind, 'You're giving this nincompoop too much credit.'

Xander smirked faintly. 'True enough. Still, best to just end this quickly.' "I'm afraid I don't see anything allowing you to take me into custody, Colonel."

The colonel practically leapt across the table and read the document over quickly, looking to discover what had been done to his precious order. His stomach unclenched quickly when he realised that the document was unchanged. "It seems your education isn't very good, son. My order clearly places you in my custody."

Xander chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Colonel. It seems to be your education that's lacking. That order tells you to take the alien into custody. There's no alien here, bar Teal'c, and I believe his case has already been resolved. As I said before, I am from California. Therefore, I'm not an alien."

Maybourne sneered in response. "It makes provisions for people who are possessed by aliens, kid. You still qualify."

Harris shook his head with a pitying smile that had SG-1 holding back laughter. "Alas, I am not possessed by an alien. Janus is from California too."

The NID colonel flushed with increasing annoyance. "Janus is a Goa'uld. Therefore he is an alien!"

The Californian teenager shook his head once more. "I could lecture you on the differences between the Goa'uld and the Tok'ra, but that would be futile and ultimately irrelevant. It may have escaped your attention but, depending on the definition you use, an alien is either a person from another country, or a being from another planet. Janus is neither. He came into being in Southern California just over a week ago."

The various members of SG-1 watched in amusement as Maybourne dissolved into virtually incoherent sputtering at this declaration. Finally Maybourne rallied. "This document refers to the symbiote kid."

"Then perhaps the order should have referred to a symbiote, Colonel." General Hammond finally broke into the argument. "It should have stated a Goa'uld, a Tok'ra or a symbiote. It does not. It orders the apprehension of an alien, which Mr. Harris has proven that he is not. I suggest you go back to your superiors and report that Mr. Harris is not going to be coming for a visit."

Maybourne ground his teeth in frustration. The alien had turned him into a laughingstock, picking apart just one damned word in his carefully crafted order and making it nonviable. With a two-star general now essentially telling him to clear out and his presidential order reduced in value to a piece of very unique, autographed toilet paper, he was left with only one option: retreat to base and try to regroup for the next round. "Yes, Sir, I suppose I'll have to talk to the president about changing the order for my return here…"

The bald general smiled menacingly. "No need, Colonel. I'll be sure to call the president on my phone and get all the clarification we need."

The colonel looked like he'd been sucking on a lemon at that response. Unable to formulate a viable tactic, he simply nodded and left the room, escorted by a member of the SGC.

Hammond interlocked his fingers and turned in a deliberate manner to his guest. "That should keep the NID off of our backs for a while, Janus, but I'll need something substantial to give the president if we want them to leave you alone in the long run."

Xander's eyes flashed dramatically as Janus retook command. "On this we are agreed, General. In addition to the intelligence I have offered already, which I'll admit is not of much immediate use, I have three things to offer. The first is to your immediate benefit. I can offer the coordinates of some fifty worlds that are considered of key strategic importance in this galaxy. I can also further clarify which Goa'uld own the world in question, the extent of the defences and what makes these worlds so valuable. I will also tell you if the ownership of any of these worlds are disputed and by whom."

The general nodded. Up to date intelligence on the enemy was potentially very valuable. Teal'c only knew so much and mostly about Apophis. "You said that there were three things. I believe that was one."

Janus nodded agreeably. "The second is not to your immediate benefit, but has the potential to save your entire world. I can tell you that, in addition to the Chappa'ai in Antarctica, there is an outpost of great value, buried deep within the ice. I do not know precisely where it is, nor do I know any way to access it short of transport rings, but this outpost was built by the Ancients. While the platform is currently without power, it has the potential capacity to defend the planet from a significantly sized fleet of Goa'uld vessels."* Janus smiled at the almost giddy smile on O'Neill's face. I also know of multiple locations where you may procure a replacement power source, but all of them are rather difficult to get to."

Hammond smiled faintly. While this Ancient Outpost sounded like it would be a lot of work to locate and power, it also sounded like it would present a truly viable means of effectively defending the planet from an extra-planetary attack. "That sounds very promising. And the last thing…?"

Janus smiled. "The last thing will benefit both of us greatly, if we can trust one another. I have in my possession the address for the world of Pangar. Pangar is the prison where Ra imprisoned our beloved Queen Egeria. It is also presents a potential lasting solution for the end of the slavery of the Jaffa…"

* * *

*In canon the outpost of the Ancients obliterated a truly massive star fleet that was assembled by Anubis. By comparison, Apophis' two little ships could be swatted like annoying insects. Of course, this presupposes that the SGC can find and power up the outpost in time.

And here is today's entry

Jasper


End file.
